Fence-making machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

IIII Ih P. J. REGAN.

FENCE MAKING MAGHINE.

No. 527,370. l Patented Oct. 9,1894.

" y mswfwys-Pazrzg B og wm l 'fa (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

P. J. REGAN.

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 527,370. Patented 00.14;. 9, 1.894.

' UNITED STATES y PATENT OEEICE.

PATRICK ,.I. REGAN, OF IOWA CITY, IOWA.

FENCE-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,370, dated October 9, 1894.

Application filed May 29, 1894. Serial No. 512,982. (No model.)

preferably of wood, said stays being secured in place by ceiling the strands or runners around the same.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawingsz-Figure lis a perspective view of a fence machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a face view of one ofthe twisters. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of one of the twisting devices with the parts thereof detached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The framework of the machine `is substantially rectangular in construction having the base-timbers 1, the corner uprights 2, and the longitudinal connecting bars 3. Mounted in suitable bearings l in the uprights at the rear end of the machine are the trunnions of a receiving drum or reel 5, provided with terminal disks 6, to 4prevent lateral displacement of the fence as it is reeled thereon and further provided with a ratchet-wheel 7 engaged by a dog 8, which is pivotally connected to an operating lever 9 `fulcru med upon the spindle of the drum or reel adjacent to the planeof said ratchet-wheel. This lever extends to the front of the machine within reach of the operator, as hereinafter more fully explained. Mounted in bearings 10 in the upper side beams 3 of the framework are trunnions of the direction-rolls 11 and 12, over which the fence passes upon its way from the twisting mechanism herein after described to the receiving drum or reel.

The twisting mechanism comprises aseres of standards 13, upon which adjacent to their extremities are mounted twisting wheels 14 having stationary central cores 15, which are secured permanently to the standards and rotary portions or rings 16, which are mounted upon said cores and are rabbeted, as shown at 17, to receive the peripheral flanges 18 of the cores to prevent accidental displacement. The cores are provided with radial slots or kerfs 19, which register with corresponding slots 2O in the upper ends of the standards, and the rotary portions or rings of the twisting-wheels are provided with corresponding radial slots 21, which are adapted to register with the slots or kerfs 19.

The twisting-wheels are provided with pei ripheral gear teeth 22, with which mesh the teeth of intermediate gears which convey Inotion to the said twisting wheels from the driving-pinions 24." These driving pinons are fixed to a power-shaft 25 provided at one end with a sprocketwheel 26, connected bya chain 27 with a similar sprocket-wheel 28, which is fixed to the crank-shaft 29. The crank-shaft is provided with an operatinghandle or crank 30 which is arranged upon that side of the machine adjacent to the front end of the operating lever 9, whereby a single operator is enabled to control both the twisting mechanism and the reeling devices.

Secured to the rotary members or rings of the twisting wheels are radial arms 31, which extend outward beyond the peripheries of the wheels, having bearing-studs 32, upon which are mounted the wire spools 38. The outer extremities of these bearing-studs are threaded, as shown at 33, for the reception of tension nuts 34, which iit in recesses or cavi` ties 35 in the outer surfaces or faces of the spools, and are thus flush at their outer sides with said surfaces of the spools. Secured to the inner ends or portions of the radial arms 31 adjacent to the annular portions of the twisting wheels are the curved wire-guides 36.

The strands or runners 37, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, are supplied respectively from the spools 38, and after passing around the wireguides at the inner ends of thespool-carrying arms extend upward to and around the direction-roll 12, thence horizontally and over the directi0n-roll 11, and then downward to the IOO receivingfdruinfor reel 5; and in operation the cross-stays or pickets 39 areinserted in the radial slots or kerfs of the stationary portions or cores of vthe Ytwisting-Wheels, as shown in Fig. 1, and the crank 30 is operated to cause the rotation of the movable or annular portions ,of the twisting-Wheels, thus carrying said Wire-spools around the stationary portions or cores of the Wheels, and also around the cross-stays or pickets. Th is coils or Wraps each strand or runner aroundthe cross-stay or picket, While the latter is held firmly in place in the radial slot or kerf of the core, and when the corresponding radial slots 2l of the twisting-WheelsV come into registration with the slots or kerfs in which the stay or picket is arranged the latter may be withdrawn radially by operating the receiv-y ing drum lor reelthrough the 1ever49. r It will b'e'understood that one or more turns of the strands or runners around each stay or picket` maybe made, and that any desired number of twisting-devices may be employed according to the preferred number'of strands or runners in the fence, and the stays or pickets may be spaced at *intervalsto suit the purpose for which thefence is designio@-y It Willbe understood, moreover, that various changes inthe form, proportion, and the mi#A nor details of construction may be: resorted to Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. r

Having described my invention, what I claim is-.

1.111 a fence machine, uw combination' With a suitable receiving drum or reel', and

Wire-guides, and operating mechanism forl driving the twisting-devices, substantially as specied.

t `2,l In A a fence machine, the combination with a receiving drum or reel and means for Voperating the same, and direction nrolls for guiding the nishedy fen'ceitherevto, of twisting-devices comprising standards provided at their upper ends with slots, coreslfxed to the standards and provided with corresponding radial slots or kerfs, rings rotatablyvmounted upon the peripheries of thecore'sandpro-` vided With radial lslots to registerwith the slots or kerfs in the cores, radial arn'is connected to and carried bytheV rotary rings,

wire-spools mounted` upon the VradialHarms, means for adjusting the tension of'fsaid spools, a power-shaft operatively connected with the said rings, and meansfor operating thepower shaft, substantiallyv as'speciied.

In testimony that I claim theffoegoing as my own Ifhfave hereto 'affixed my signature in the presenceoftwo Witnesses;

PATRCK J. REGAN.

Viitnesses:v

SAMUEL F. LEFEVR, 'PHILIP REGAN. 

